TCAS Alert madness on app into KIAD

[JSACKS 0]

I have had several TCAS alerts in the 744 flying into KIAD 19L. Twice or three times I have had TRAFFIC ! alerts at around 1500 AGL on approach going to "Descend! Descend!" as smaller traffic comes roaring in over my head for 19L as well.In real life, would this really happen? I mean, how do you descend fast to avoid traffic from 1500 or 1000 AGL on app into any airport when flying the Queen?Jonathan

[cowpatz 243]

Jonathon it would not be your lucky day if this happened to you for real. Generally you can observe the traffic on the ND and respond to the potential conflict prior to getting a TCAS resolution advisory. Occasionally it is possible to get RA's when 2 aircraft are on parallel approaches to land. In order to avoid this it is accepted practice to select TA only on the transponder. This will of course require you to keep an eye on the traffic yourself. As for a descending RA that close to the ground...well you would have to think twice about it. We have a warning in our manuals stating that a DESCEND (fly down) RA below 1000ft AGL should not be followed.

[Guest SKireyev]

>Jonathon it would not be your lucky day if this happened to>you for real. Generally you can observe the traffic on the ND>and respond to the potential conflict prior to getting a TCAS>resolution advisory. Occasionally it is possible to get RA's>when 2 aircraft are on parallel approaches to land. In order>to avoid this it is accepted practice to select TA only on the>transponder. This will of course require you to keep an eye on>the traffic yourself. As for a descending RA that close to the>ground...well you would have to think twice about it. We have>a warning in our manuals stating that a DESCEND (fly down) RA>below 1000ft AGL should not be followed. Steve! I sometimes wish you would write up a full SOP manual! I at times find myself searching for your posts just to gather RW info bit by bit! I really appreciate that!

[basa 0]

Hi Jonathan.To avoid conflicting AI traffic on final approach I use "AIsmooth".Is a very useful tool (you can download it from Avsim library) that cleans your approach of undesired or massive AI aircraft coming to the your same rwy. It maintains them holding while you are on approach.It is very computer-memory friendly.Jose Luis

[JSACKS 0]

Steve:Thanks for your post. Good stuff.Luis: Thanks too. Maybe I shall instal a traffic smoother.Jonathan

[cowpatz 243]

SOP's have their place but I think most pilots would agree that they can become an industry all on their own. Our SOP's originally started off small, applicable and concise but have now ended up bulky with endless ammendments. They can be difficult to keep track of and frustrating when constantly changing.

[mburkhard 23]

Jonathan,Also be aware that Washington is a busy airspace with two major airports close by one another. Now in real life you have a capable ATC and lot's of procedures to avoid what you have observed. However in MSFS ATC is not so capable and the departure- and arrival procedures are not always being flown as in reality by AI traffic. That gives a lot of potential to have a mess in that airspace. And in the end you get more Traffic Alerts in MSFS than you get in reality with the same amount of airplanes around.It gets worse when flying into New York with THREE major airports close. It's fun though to fly in there in the VC (and TrackIR) and watch all that traffic flying around you :)Regards,Markus

[JSACKS 0]

Well, I have installed AISmooth and we shall see how this works. I am looking forward to fewer alerts and fewer go-arounds. I wonder if AISmooth will also keep departing a/c at the hold-short lines because there's nothing worse than being on final and seeing an A320 move into your space on the ground for takeoff !JS